Places to stay: Staying in an apartment worked out well both times I did it - I used these last time: http://www.barcelonapoint.com Anywhere near the Ramblas and old town is probably where you want to be, though I prefer the areas of Gracia/Exiample near Diagonal / Passeig De Gracia. Guides ----- Barcelona Metropolitan: Monthly magazine in English aimed at English speaking folks living locally. Has information about events and places to eat, etc. Some good articles. http://www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/ Guia Del Ocio: Available in newspaper stands. Succinct equivilant of the Dublin Event Guide or whatever, contains listings and highlights. http://www.guiadelocio.com/barcelona Stuff YOU MUST DO1!1!! ---------------------- * Get the Timeout guide to Barcelona. I used it as my bible when I was living there, it's a lot more thorough than I can be :) - there is also an iPhone app version. * The Sagrada Familia (climb to the top, damnit) and Parc Guell are MUST DOs. * Go to the Picasso museum. * Spend a few hours on Montjuic: walk up from Placa Espanya, do the Olympic Museum (it's not great though) + stadium, walk around the Olympic area and then head up to the Miro museum. Then walk to the cable car and get it down to the port. There are buses if the weather is crap or you're too lazy. * Overlooking the city is Tibadabo, a hill with a totally corny funfair, an unusual cathedral, and a HUGE telecommunications tower with an amazing view of the city and surrounding areas. * Go and check out the magic fountains at Placa Espanya. The music is usually awful, but they're good fun. http://www.bcn.cat/parcsijardins/fonts/magica.html * FC Barcelona's stadium has a great museum, and is almost impressive enough to see on its own. The tour gets you onto the edge of the pitch, but not actually onto the playing surface, into the dressing rooms etc. - definitely reccomended. * Do the modern art museum (MACBA) in Placa Angel. It's a great building and a good museum. * Take a stroll from Placa Catalunya up Passeig de Gracia. There's some great architecture and shops. Day trips FTW ------------- * Take a train up to Figures, go to the Dali museum. * Climb up Montserrat (a train ride away). * If you're beaching, do not go down to the beaches in Barcelona. Well, you can, but they're generally shite and busy, though a stroll around Barceloneta is nice on a warm evening. Get a train down to Castelldefells or Sitges, the beaches there are natural and far more pleasant experiences. Altafulla is very nice and far less crowded/touristy, but is a bit further away. * Port Adventura is a train ride away. It's a large theme park with a few good rollercoasters. Eating ------ There are good fooderies everywhere really, however there's a lot of tourist tat around too. Follow the Timeout guide (there's a food and drink specific one). La Taberna Del Cura: Good fancy Spanish food in Gracia: http://www.buscorestaurantes.com/restaurante/La-Taberna-del-Cura-18824-0.html La Carassa: Pretty damn good fondue and steak tartar: http://www.lacarassa.com/ Best pizza place in the world: La Gavina Ros de Olano 17 Gracia http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/spain/catalonia/barcelona/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154654630178 Good Iraqi place in Gracia: http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/guidevenue/138/Mesopotamia.html Moo is cool: http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/guidevenue/1362/Moo.html Restuarante de Placa Angel is fantastic: http://www.tbs.com.es/food/restaurants/Restaurante_Pla_Del_Angel_1.html Buenas Migas: nice for lunch, breakfast, etc. http://www.buenasmigas.com/ Mmmm, beer ---------- * Razzamatazz has multiple stories of music (mainly alternative), open late (like, until 6am or so) and is good fun. http://www.salarazzmatazz.com/ * Spend a night in Placa del Sol (Gracia) and nearby squares. Woodies is a great jazz bar with a good beer/spirits selection. * La Paloma is a trendy loud nightclub in an old Ballroom. http://www.lapaloma-bcn.com/ * Bar Benidorm is small and hip. 39 Joaquin Costa (near Placa Angel). Places to stay -------------- My parents swear by tripadvisor for hotels so I've pasted some hotels that I would stay in below! I've only ever stayed in a hotel once in Barca, which was in the Ambassador - it's just off the Ramblas and was very nice: http://www.ambassador-barcelona.com/index.spanish.html Casa Fuster - it is an insanely expensive 5 star, however it's about 20 metres from my old apartment :) http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d489057-Reviews-Casa_Fuster_Hotel-Barcelona_Catalonia.html 987 Barcelona looks nice: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/987-barcelona.en.html Barcelona Hilton is on a very nice main avenue, though isn't very close to a metro. Good bus links though: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d559387-Reviews-Hilton_Diagonal_Mar_Barcelona-Barcelona_Catalonia.html Barcelona Central - nice location: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d596508-Reviews-Barcelona_Center_Hotel-Barcelona_Catalonia.html Gotico - city centre location close to where you were talking about getting a hotel: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187497-d232789-Reviews-Hotel_Gotico-Barcelona_Catalonia.html I put my parents up in this place when they were over staying with us - it's a bit out of the way though. http://www.hotelviaaugusta.com/index.php?jump=main&idioma=2